DOCSLIB.ORG

Meditations on a Nautical Problem, Which the Most Illustrious King Proposed to the Parisian Academy of Science

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Meditations on a Nautical Problem, Which the Most Illustrious King Proposed to the Parisian Academy of Science Euler's 1728 Essay to the French Royal Academy : E004 Meditationes super problem nautico,....... Translated & Annotated by Ian Bruce 1. MEDITATIONS ON A NAUTICAL PROBLEM, WHICH THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS KING PROPOSED TO THE PARISIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Indeed in everything we draw upon, we are led by the desire of acquiring knowledge and skill, and in which we consider beautiful to excell. M. T. Cicero de Officiis THE PROBEM : WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PLACE THE MASTS ON VESSELS, AS FAR AS THE RELATION BETWEEN THE POSITION AS WELL AS THE NUMBER AND HEIGHT OF THE MASTS IS CONCERNED. 1. Sailing generally depends on being driven forwards chiefly by sails alone, and not by oars, arising from the arrangement and placing together of the masts. Sails usually are connected to the masts by yardarms, and on being turned into the wind they drive the ship forwards on account of that force sustained. The implantation of the masts in the ship is to be investigated , so that a ship in general can proceed with the maximum speed, and in order that this can happen, the position, height, and number of masts is to be attended to in the most diligent manner. Because in the first place in this determination it is held that much study and labour be called upon so that, if the use of the rudder cannot be avoided, then the force of that must impede the motion of the ship as little as possible, as the action of the rudder always detracts from the speed of the ship. A line drawn in ships above the bilge water from the prow to the stern is called the keel of the ship, and in French, la quille, and into this the masts are inserted as in some manner to be in the middle of the ship. If the ship is moving along the direction of its keel, there is no need for the use of the rudder for the ship to be continuing in this situation, however the masts have been implanted in the keel. Now when the ship is not moving on a par with the keel, but the direction of motion of the ship makes an angle with the keel, and which angle of deviation is called in French, l'angle de la derive, [the leeway angle] then thus, that ship does not maintain the same angle of deviation or the same position, in whatever manner the masts are situated, but in order that the angle can be retained a special placing of the masts can be determined, which must then be the single position of the masts for any other angle of deviation. And thus with ships moving forwards in water, so that they arrive at the place of choice, now they are obliged to take one deviation and then another, to which some other position of the masts would have to be attributed. But since in ships with masts once put in place, as that cannot happen with the masts remaining immobile, this change is brought about with the aid of the rudder, so that the ship is maintained at the same angle of deviation. 2. But since the rudder must act, by which the resistance to the ship has to increase, and thus the speed of the ship is diminished, and there that is affected more and more by the rudder, therefore as it were by how much the position of the masts differs more from that position in which there is no need for the rudder. Hence lest the force of the rudder should increase excessively in the deviations of the ship that occur most often, such a position must be assigned to the masts in which the rudder is said not to be in use, so that Euler's 1728 Essay to the French Royal Academy : E004 Meditationes super problem nautico,....... Translated & Annotated by Ian Bruce 2. it is apparent that the speed does not decrease sensibly at any time arising from the action of the rudder. 3. Now however many masts are put in the ship, there is always a point in the keel of the ship where if the a mast is arranged with a single height which is equal to the sum of the heights of all the other masts and equiped with just as many sails, which produces the same effect, that point can be called the common centre of the forces propelling the ship. Now from the given position of the masts and from the forces exchanged from the wind with the aid of the sails, this centre is found easily, not in an unlike manner from that , in which the common centre of gravity of bodies placed on the same line is found, yet with this difference, because here the capacity of the sails of the masts is taken in place in which the weight of the body is taken in determining the centre of gravity of bodies ; and thus it is easier from the common centre of forces moving the ship to find position of the masts : and thus it what follows it suffices to determine a single centre, for this I observe, whatever number of masts should be inserted, they can be represented readily in the same way. 4. More masts are not inserted into ships, unless the height required is of so great a size that it cannot be had from a single mast, for then it is to be effected by more than should be made available from a single mast : hence since the height of the masts is sought, the height is not to be determined unless with a single mast, but rather by several equivalent masts acting together. For this height, when it becomes known, is to be distributed over all the parts, then those parts become so small or of such heights as masts of that kind can have ; and thus the number of masts may be found, and the position of these by the previous paragraph. [This argument about the resistance of the rudder originated first from Johan Bernoulli and has been described in the book : Essay d'Une nouvelle theorie de la manoeuvre des vaisseaux. (Basle 1714). This work forms the first part of Book II of his Opera Omnia] 5. Now the height of the masts is to be determined by the capacity of the sails, which are the particular cause of the impelling force. Therefore a question has to be considered not only regarding the height of the masts, but concerning the height of the sails as well : indeed the height of the sails need not be contemplated, if only the force moving the ship along is considered, and indeed with the same force of propulsion remaining, we can consider whether that should be applied either altogether at a single point, or at several points separately, or in places with higher or lower masts. Now there a part of the force of the wind which inclines the ship forwards and immerses the prow deeper, which with higher masts in place increases the force that is applied to that effect: hence it is better with the sails made wider, in order that a sufficient amount of the force can be taken by the lower sails in place. Indeed if the higher sails are made shorter and with smaller widths then they extend themselves, and thus the force inclining the ship forwards increases; now since that is the case, the avoidance of this must be a proposition in the determination of the heights of the masts. Concerning how many and how high the masts should be made, there is a restriction put on this : the greatest attribute is the width, as long as the lower sails can be attached to the masts in place, unless here the force of the Euler's 1728 Essay to the French Royal Academy : E004 Meditationes super problem nautico,....... Translated & Annotated by Ian Bruce 3. wind is sensibly diminished, and some number of other circumstances regarding the sails allow that to happen. 6. Now this is to be observed lest the number of the sails be increased as you wish, for with too great an increase in the number of sails, it can happen that even if the ship is not capsized in the water, yet the prow is immersed further than the safety of the ship permits. In order that this is better understood, it is to be noted, whatever power of the wind applied to the sails, the force exerts a twofold effect on the ship, the one which propels the ship, and the other which inclines the ship, with the prow being immersed deeper ; one knows that this happens, as from the ship at rest being vertical, now while in motion it is inclined towards the prow, and thus with that the more with the greater wind, and in which the sails are placed at a higher point on the masts; from which it can come about that the propelling force of the wind be applied either higher or lower, so that the prow can be immersed further than is safe, or completely submerged. 7. Therefore lest the ship be excessively inclined, a limit has to be put in place how far the prow can be immersed without endangering the ship, and with which known, it is to be asked how great a force can be taken from the wind so that the ship can be inclined as far as this and no further, from which the greatest force is found by which the ship can be moved forwards, for is a greater is assumed, the ship might be at risk, because then is inclined further than is suitable: but if now the force is taken smaller, then the ship is able to move forwards at this stage without danger; hence in this way the maximum force propelling the ship is found, or the method of setting the masts in position is found, so that the ship can proceed with the greatest speed possible.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Argo Navis Constellation
    THE ARGO NAVIS CONSTELLATION At the last meeting we talked about the constellation around the South Pole, and how in the olden days there used to be a large ship there that has since been subdivided into the current constellations. I could not then recall the names of the constellations, but remembered that we talked about this subject at one of the early meetings, and now found it in September 2011. In line with my often stated definition of Astronomy, and how it seems to include virtually all the other Philosophy subjects: History, Science, Physics, Biology, Language, Cosmology and Mythology, lets go to mythology and re- tell the story behind the Argo Constellation. Argo Navis (or simply Argo) used to be a very large constellation in the southern sky. It represented the ship The Argo Navis ship with the Argonauts on board used by the Argonauts in Greek mythology who, in the years before the Trojan War, accompanied Jason to Colchis (modern day Georgia) in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. The ship was named after its builder, Argus. Argo is the only one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy that is no longer officially recognised as a constellation. In 1752, the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille subdivided it into Carina (the keel, or the hull, of the ship), Puppis (the poop deck), and Vela (the sails). The constellation Pyxis (the mariner's compass) occupies an area which in antiquity was considered part of Argo's mast (called Malus). The story goes that, when Jason was 20 years old, an oracle ordered him to head to the Iolcan court (modern city of Volos) where king Pelias was presiding over a sacrifice to Poseidon with several neighbouring kings in attendance.
    [Show full text]
  • Tiny Map (2 Player)
    Victory by Any Means Campaign Guide (Second Edition) Tiny Map (2 Player) CENTAURI Hydra Regulus Andromeda Baham Rotanev Naos Siren Gemma Terminus Errai Lesath Kapteyn Mira Phaeton Algol Canopus Hadar ARCTURUS Map Legend Major System Minor System Unimportant System CAPITAL Major Lane Minor Lane Restricted Lane © 2015, VBAM Games, Inc. Permission to copy for personal use. Victory by Any Means Campaign Guide (Second Edition) Small Map (3 Player) CENTAURI Scorpius Rigel Zaurak Canopus Regulus Sualocin Cassiopeia Perseus Errai Malus Menkar Algol Dorado Chara Bessel Sadatoni Ankaa Pegasus Terminus Cayrel Celaeno Tania Theemin Sabik Aries Vega Sheliak Aquila DRACONIS ORION Phoenix Tigris Herschel Sirius Ksora Aldebaran Map Legend Major System Minor System Unimportant System CAPITAL Major Lane Minor Lane Restricted Lane © 2015, VBAM Games, Inc. Permission to copy for personal use. Victory by Any Means Campaign Guide (Second Edition) Medium Map (4 Player) Canopus Cerberus Betria Vulpecula Pegasus Luyten ORION CENTAURI Sualocin Kapteyn Mintaka Mizar Phaeton Rana Altair Lilium Leo Rangifer Ruchba Thuban Mira Asterion Sabik Ksora Nihal Spica Sulafat Alshat Pavonis Sagittarius Lyra Terminus Capella Sarin Gemma Heka Hercules Hadar Taygeta Bootes Rotanev Geidi Noctua Algol Phoenix Errai Regulus Fomalhaut Tigris Alrischa Aquila Dorado Ankaa ARCTURUS ANTARES Eridanus Lesath Perseus Celaeno Zaurak Map Legend Sirius Major System Minor System Unimportant System CAPITAL Major Lane Minor Lane Restricted Lane © 2015, VBAM Games, Inc. Permission to copy for personal
    [Show full text]
  • U.S. EPA, Pesticides, Label, PENNCOZEB 4FL FLOWABLE
    UNITED'STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 OFFICE OF CHEMICAL SAFETY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION Mr. Ross Gilbert JUL 1 2. a110 . Pyxis Regulatory Consulting, Inc. For United Phosphorus, Inc. th 4110 13 . St. NW Gig Harbor, W A 98332 SUBJECT: Application for Pesticide Notification (PRN 98-10) Request Warranty Statement EPA Reg. No. 70506-194 Application Dated June 9, 2010 Dear Registrant: The Agency is in receipt of your Application for Pesticide Notification under Pesticide Registration Notice (PRN) 98-10 dated 06/09/10 for the above product. The Registration Division (RD) has conducted a review of this request for its applicability under PRN 98-10 and finds that· the action(s) requested fall within the scope ofPRN 98-10. The label submitted with the application has been stamped ''Notification'' and will be placed in our records. If you have any questions, please call me directly at 703-305-5335 or Owen F. Beeder of my staff at 703-308-8899. Sincerely, 1 " 12 W,c>U (I.!ji{tfYN/~ Paul 1. Matrradone, Ph.D., Acting ~ Notifications & Minor Formulations 'Nam Leader Registration Division (7505P) Office of Pesticide Programs PfU$e re.d i".tnH:tiD~n fflvene befDffI comp/etjntl fDrm. Form ADDroved •. OMB No. 2070.oo8ll __XDir .. 2·28-95 opp Identifier Number United States WRegistration &EPA Environmental Prolection Agency Amendment Washington, DC 20460 : .; Other ; Application for Pesticide - Section I 1. Company/Product Number 2. EPA Product Manager 3. Proposed Classification 70506-184 M. Waller o Nonlt D Restricted 4. Company/Product (Name) PM' United Phosphorus, Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Flowering and Fruiting in Cotton
    FLOWERING AND FRUITING IN COTTON NUMBER EIGHT THE COTTON FOUNDATION REFERENCE BOOK SERIES Edited by Derrick M. Oosterhuis and J. Tom Cothren FLOWERING AND FRUITING IN COTTON THE Cotton Foundation Reference Book Series The Cotton Foundation was created in 1955 to foster research and education for the cotton in- dustry. Supported by membership dues and grants from agribusiness firms, the Foundation plays an integral role in focusing attention to high priority needs. Foundation members include the world’s finest manufactures and suppliers of cotton machinery, plant health products, transgenic technologies, planting seed, testing instruments, processing materials; and consulting, financial and communications services The alliance of agribusiness and the cotton industry strengthens the ability of both to reach common objectives – enhance markets and profitability. Understanding that sales and service are ultimately linked to the vitality of the cotton industry, corporate suppliers support the Foun- dation with dues and special earmarked grants. The Foundation’s offices are located at the na- tional Cotton Council’s headquarters in Cordova, Tennessee. We are pleased to publish FLOWERING AND FRUITING IN COTTON, the eighth in the series of cotton reference books. The first volume, COTTON PHYSIOLOGY was published in 1986; the second, WEEDS OF COTTON: Characterization and Control was published in 1992; the third, COTTON INSECTS AND MITES: Characterizations and Management, was published in 1996; the fourth volume, VEGETABLE OILS AND AGROCHEMICALS became available in 1994; the fifth volume, COTTON HARVEST MANAGEMENT: Use and Influence of Harvest Aids and the sixth volume, BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION IN THE UNITED STATES THROUGH 1999 published in 2001; and the seventh volume, STRESS PHYSIOLOGY IN COTTON published in 2011.
    [Show full text]
  • Checklist of the Washington Baltimore Area
    Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Washington - Baltimore Area Part I Ferns, Fern Allies, Gymnosperms, and Dicotyledons by Stanwyn G. Shetler and Sylvia Stone Orli Department of Botany National Museum of Natural History 2000 Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560-0166 ii iii PREFACE The better part of a century has elapsed since A. S. Hitchcock and Paul C. Standley published their succinct manual in 1919 for the identification of the vascular flora in the Washington, DC, area. A comparable new manual has long been needed. As with their work, such a manual should be produced through a collaborative effort of the region’s botanists and other experts. The Annotated Checklist is offered as a first step, in the hope that it will spark and facilitate that effort. In preparing this checklist, Shetler has been responsible for the taxonomy and nomenclature and Orli for the database. We have chosen to distribute the first part in preliminary form, so that it can be used, criticized, and revised while it is current and the second part (Monocotyledons) is still in progress. Additions, corrections, and comments are welcome. We hope that our checklist will stimulate a new wave of fieldwork to check on the current status of the local flora relative to what is reported here. When Part II is finished, the two parts will be combined into a single publication. We also maintain a Web site for the Flora of the Washington-Baltimore Area, and the database can be searched there (http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany/projects/dcflora).
    [Show full text]
  • Frequencylistsforvocab
    FREQUENCY LISTS FOR VOCABULARY DRILL There are three ofthese lists: (1) Words found 12—23 times in the first six books of the Aeneid (pp. 97—100); (2) Words found 6—11 times in the first six books (pp. 10 1—106); (3) General Word List: Words found twenty-four times or more in the first six books (pp. 108—111 and pull-out, inside of back cover). WORDS FOUND 12-23 TIMES IN AENEID 1-6 abeo go away, depart aureus of gold, gold(en) acer sharp, piercing auris EAR addo give to, ADD auster south (wind) aequö (make) level, EQUALIZE autem moreover, however aether upper air, ETHER auxilium support, assistance affor speak to, address Averto turn from, AVERT agnosco RECOGNIZE, understand Ala wing bis twice aliquis some (one), any (one) alter other (of two), second cadö fall, die amicus friend(ly), AMICABLE caecus blind, unseeing amittö lose, send away canö sing (of), CHANT amö love, cherish carina keel, ship an whether cärus dear annus year causa CAUSE, reason antrum cave, cavern cavus hollow aperio uncover, open cêdö yield, CEDE arbor tree celer swift arduus steep, ARDUOUS celsus high, lofty ars ART, skill centum one hundred artus (noun) joint, limb certamen contest asper rough, harsh certus settled, CERTAIN aspicio look (at), behold cingö encircle, gird asto stand (by, near) cinis ashes, CINDERS astrum star, constellation clams CLEAR, famous attollö lift (up), arouse colO CULTIVATE, worship audeo be eager, dare coma hair, foliage (of a tree) 97 98 WORD LISTS WORD LISTS 99 condo put together, found fortis brave, strong litus broad, wide opus work;
    [Show full text]
  • IAU Information Bulletin No. 104
    CONTENTS IAU Information Bulletin No. 104 Preface ..................................................................................................................... 4 1. EVENTS & DEADLINES ............................................................ 5 2. REMINISCENCES OF PAST IAU PRESIDENTS ............... 7 2.1. Adriaan Blaauw, 18th IAU President, 1976 - 1979 ............................ 7 2.2. Jorge Sahade, 21st IAU President, 1985 - 1988 .............................. 10 2.3. Yoshihide Kozai, 22nd IAU President, 1988 - 1991 ....................... 12 2.4. Lodewijk Woltjer, 24th President, 1994 - 1997 ................................. 14 2.5. Robert P. Kraft, 25th IAU President, 1997 - 2000 .......................... 15 2.6. Franco Pacini, 26th President, 2000 - 2003 ...................................... 16 3. IAU EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 3.1. Officers’ Meeting 2009-1, Paris, France, 6 April 2009 .................... 18 3.2. 85th Executive Committee Meeting, Paris, France, 7 - 8 April 2009 18 4. THE EC WORKING GROUP ON THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY 2009 4.1. Status report ......................................................................................... 20 5. IAU GENERAL ASSEMBLIES 5.1. IAU XXVII General Assembly, 3-14 August 2009, Rio de .......... 24 Janeiro, Brazil 5.1.1. Inaugural Ceremony, First Session, Second Session and ................. 24 Closing Ceremony 5.1.2. Proposal for modification of Statutes and Bye-Laws ....................... 27 5.1.2.1 Proposal for modification of Statutes ...............................................
    [Show full text]
  • Constellations Concept Booklet Dan Lovallo 1 Constellations Algorithm A1) Selection of Constellation in Relation to Location: E.G
    constellations concept booklet dan lovallo 1 constellations algorithm a1) Selection of constellation in relation to location: e.g. - Select constellations between Ecliptic and Celestial Equator - Number of constellation selection: 4 a2) Extraction of constellation in accordance to original default orientations CANCER a3) Extraction of constellation into vectorial points a1 a2 a3 b1) Overlapping of 4 sets of constellation points above one another. Sequence dependent on Constellation chart. b2) Vertical distances between each layer of constellation points relates to the relative real scale positions of those constellations. b3) Connection of points through single polyline to define total sequencing of constellation points. b1 b2 b3 c1) Panelling in accordance to the connected lines. Each panel is triangulated, governed by the closest two lines which form the edges of the panel. c2) Removal of panel based on random algorithm, which simulates the random connectivity of the constellations’ relative geographical locations. c3) Orientation of final output - select horizontal or vertical. c1 c2 c3 2 night sky photograph 3 visible stars chart 4 official constellations chart 5 chinese constellations chart Dunhuang Star map is one of the first known graphical representation of stars from ancient Chinese astronomy, dated to the Tang Dynasty (618–907) 6 chinese constellations chart 28 Chinese Constellations (asterisms) 7 chinese constellations chart 28 Chinese Constellations (asterisms) 8 egyptian constellations chart the zodiacal and para-zodiacal
    [Show full text]
  • Big Islands Landscape Assessment Cordova Ranger District Chugach National Forest June 20, 2005
    Big Islands Landscape Assessment Cordova Ranger District Chugach National Forest June 20, 2005 2003 satellite image of Green, Montague, Hinchinbrook, and Hawkins Islands. Team: Susan Kesti - Team Leader, writer-editor, vegetation, socio-economic Milo Burcham – Wildlife Resources, Subsistence Bruce Campbell - Lands Rob DeVelice – Forest Ecology, Sensitive Plants Heather Hall – Heritage Resources Carol Huber – Geology, Minerals Tim Joyce – Fish Subsistence Dirk Lang – Fisheries Bill MacFarlane – Hydrology, Water Quality Dixon Sherman – Recreation Ricardo Velarde – Soils Table of Contents Executive Summary.......................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1............................................................................................................................. 1 Purpose............................................................................................................................ 1 The Analysis Area........................................................................................................... 1 Montague Island.......................................................................................................... 3 Hinchinbrook Island.................................................................................................... 4 Hawkins Island............................................................................................................ 4 Green Island...............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Brightest Stars : Discovering the Universe Through the Sky's Most Brilliant Stars / Fred Schaaf
    ffirs.qxd 3/5/08 6:26 AM Page i THE BRIGHTEST STARS DISCOVERING THE UNIVERSE THROUGH THE SKY’S MOST BRILLIANT STARS Fred Schaaf John Wiley & Sons, Inc. flast.qxd 3/5/08 6:28 AM Page vi ffirs.qxd 3/5/08 6:26 AM Page i THE BRIGHTEST STARS DISCOVERING THE UNIVERSE THROUGH THE SKY’S MOST BRILLIANT STARS Fred Schaaf John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ffirs.qxd 3/5/08 6:26 AM Page ii This book is dedicated to my wife, Mamie, who has been the Sirius of my life. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Copyright © 2008 by Fred Schaaf. All rights reserved Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey Published simultaneously in Canada Illustration credits appear on page 272. Design and composition by Navta Associates, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copy- right.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Introduction and History
    i i David Clarke: Stellar Polarimetry — Chap. clarke8955c01 — 2009/9/17 — 15:59 — page 3 — le-tex i i 3 1 Introduction and History 1.1 General History Stellar polarimetry appeared as a green shoot in astrophysical diagnostic practice some 60 years ago. Following the early nineteenth-century discoveries of polari- metric phenomena in the physics and chemistry laboratories, and the establish- ment of the understanding of the transverse nature of the oscillatory disturbances within electromagnetic radiation, polarimetry lay dormant for over 100 years in its application to stars. Its dawning on the stellar scene awaited the combination of a prediction by Chandrasekhar (1946) related to the outcome of radiative transfer studies for early-type stellar atmospheres, and the simultaneous development of detector technology sufficient to make an observational response to the challenge set by theory. With a degree of interpretive licence, the introduction of polarimetry to Astrono- my may be set to an earlier millennium. Much of the early history of astronomy is bound up with application of celestial observations to determinations of local time and geographical position. It has been suggested that a navigational tool, or me- dieval GPS, in the form of the natural crystal (cordierite) with polarization proper- ties, was used as an astrolabe by the Vikings as early as ad 1000 (see Walker, 1978). With such a device the position of the Sun, hidden by a cloud, or below the hori- zon, could have been determined to within 3ı. It might be claimed, therefore, that polarimetry was utilised within Astronomy well in advance of the more readily ap- preciated diagnostic tool of spectroscopy! The concept of polarimetry as applied to the pursuit of physical understanding of the heavens did not emerge, however, until the turn of the nineteenth century, with application particularly to the Solar System, running hand in hand with the development of the subject in the optical laboratory.
    [Show full text]
  • Pyxis, the Compass Pyxis Constellation Lies in the Southern Sky
    Constellations in the Souther Sky - Pyxis, the Compass Pyxis constellation lies in the southern sky. It represents a mariner’s compass. It was one of the constellations created by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1752. Lacaille originally named the constellation Pyxis Nautica, but the name was later simplified to just Pyxis. Pyxis lies near the former constellation Argo Navis, a huge constellation representing the Argonauts’ ship, which was eventually broken into several smaller constellations. FACTS, LOCATION & MAP Pyxis is the 65th constellation in size, occupying an area of 221 square degrees. It is located in the second quadrant of the southern hemisphere and can be seen at latitudes between +50° and -90°. The neighboring constellations are Antlia, Hydra, Puppis and Vela. Pyxis Constellation Map, by IAU and Sky&Telescope Pyxis contains three stars with known planets (see below), but has no Messier objects. The brightest star in the constellation is Alpha Pyxidis, with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.68. There are no meteor showers associated with the constellation. Pyxis belongs to the Heavenly Waters family of constellations, along with Carina, Columba, Delphinus, Equuleus, Eridanus, Piscis Austrinus, Puppis and Vela. STORY The constellation Pyxis was created by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1751-52 during his exploration of the southern skies. He named the constellation la Boussole and later Latinized the name to Pixis Nautica. The constellation appeared under this name in the second edition of Lacaille’s chart in 1763. The name was eventually shortened to Pyxis. The constellation represents the magnetic compass used by navigators and seamen at the time and should not be confused with Circinus, which was named after a draftsman’s compasses.
    [Show full text]